Car coupling



1,479,391 1924 G. E. LILLY 7 CAR COUPLING Filed May 14 1 923 Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

GRANVILL E. LILLY, OF GLEN MORGAN, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIG-NOR 02E ONE-HALF 'I'O J. A. LILLY, 0F GLEN MORGAN, NEST VIRGINIA.

can COUPLING.

Application filed May 1'4,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GRANVILL E. LILLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glen Morgan, in the county of Raleigh and State of WVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic car couplings'and particularly to couplings of the hook and link type especially adapted for use on mine cars.

Among the objects o fthe invention is to provide a coupling of this nature which shall be simple and rugged in construction and certain, positive and efiicient in its operation.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the 'ac-' c'ompanying drawings "forming part of this specification, and in which?- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the adjacent ends of two mine cars showing my improved coupling applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is :a vertical central section through the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved hook forming a part of the coupling; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are a plan and vertical section respectively,- on an enlarged scale, showing a modified construction of link which I prefer to use in some cases.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 and 2 designate two cars such as are used in coal mines, and it will be understood that the left hand end of car 1 is the same as the left hand end of car 2, and the right hand end of car 2 is similar to the right hand end of car 1. In other words, each car is equipped at its opposite ends, as shown in Fig. 1.

The floor of the cars is preferably extended at the ends to form rounded bumpers 3, and the central portions of these are protected by metal plates 4 and 14.

A draw bar 6 extends continuously through the center of each car from one end to the other thereof, and projects at one end, as indicated at 6 in Figs. 1 and 2, such projecting end being offset from the body of the bar and spacedfrom the wear 1923. Serial No. 638,791.

plate 4, as shown in F ig. 2. A bolt 7 passes through the extended end of the draw bar and the spacing means.

A link 9 is pivotally mounted on a second bolt 8 passing through the end portion 6 of the draw bar, and the extended floor of the car, such linkv "being located between the end '6 of the draw bar and the upper surface of the wear plate 1. It will be understood that this linkis capable of swinging freely laterally in a horizontal plane, in order to adjust itself to curves, and the extent of such lateral movement is limited by means of a ,yieldable stop element 5. This may comprise a U-shaped member having resilient arms extending on each side of the pivot pin 8 of the link, and held in position by the bolt 7 the memher -5 having a portion located between the draw bar and wear plate 4 to serve as the spacing means above referred to. I g

- Adapted to cooperate with the link 9 is a pivoted hook I10, shaped as shown in Fig. 4, and having a curved beak 11', and atail piece 12. This hook is provided with a yoke portion 13 -having spaced sides provided with alined perforations 13 A rock shaft 17 passes through these openings and the hook is rigidly secured to such shaft as by means of rivets or the like, so that when the shaft is rocked, the hook is raised and lowered. The shaft 17 is mounted in bars 18, carried by the end of the car and ex tends transversel of the car, being provided with handles 19 at its ends, by means of which it may be rocked.

In order to guide the link 9 into proper engagement with the hook, the edges of the wear plate 14 are turned up to provide upstanding guide flanges 15, which are preferably curved as shown in Fig. 1. The wear plate 14 and the car floor beneath the same are provided with an opening or recess 16 to receive the point or beak of the hook, as shown in Fig. 2. v

The end of the drawbar 6 of car 2 extends through an opening in the end wall of the car, and is bent around the shaft 17, at a point within the yoke 13 of the hook 10. In other words, the yoke of the hook embraces or straddles the end. of the draw bar, so that the strain due to the pull on the hook is sustained directly by the draw bar. It will be understood that the shaft 17 can, of course, turn freely within lOO the portion of the draw bar surrounding the same.

A spring clip 21 or the like is provided in order to yieldingly hold the hook in elevated or inoperative position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the cars are brought forcibly together, the end of the link 9 engages the tail piece 12 of the hook, and swings the hook downwardly and forwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2, so as to cause it to enter and interlock with the link. The tail piece 12 projects rearwardly into the opening formed in the end wall of the car, and such opening is closed on the inside of the car by means of a shield or housing 20, whichthus protects the tail piece from being obstructed by the coal or other material being hauled.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and strong construction, in which a draw bar extends continuously from one end of the car to the other, and in which the link is pivoted to one end of this draw bar and the hook pivotally connected with the other end thereof, whereby the strain is carried entirely and directly by the draw bar.

Owing to the rocking or up and down movement of the ends of the cars. due to irregularities in the track, or to other causes,

it may be preferable in some cases to employ the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In these figures, the link 9', instead of being pivoted directly to the pin 8, is secured by a horizontal pin 22,'to a block 23, having an opening 24 adapted to receive the pin 8. By

virtue of this construction, the link 9 may swing about the pivot 22 in a vertical plane, to respond to the up and down movement of the cars, and at the same time, the link and block together can swing laterally or horizontally about the pin 8, as in the other figures. Thus, the link is capable of universal otally mounted on the car, to swing laterally, a link pivotally mounted in said block to swing freely vertically upward, a stop for preventing said link from swinging downward below a horizontal position, and a hook adapted to cooperate with said link.

2. The combination with a car having. a

floor provided with an extended end, a draw bar secured to said floor and having its end spaced from but substantiallyparallel with the extended end of the-floor, a link pivot ally mounted in the space between theends of the said draw bar and floor, and a resilient, U-shaped guard member also mounted in said space, and having an arm disposed at each side of the link to limit the exten of its swinging movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GRANVILL E. LILLY. 

